


In which Carlos and Cecil are both bad at finding Christmas presents

by Khoshekh42



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Normal Life, Christmas, Fluff, M/M, and I wrote this LAST YEAR, and i want christmas to be here, bc i'm lame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-03 22:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12155664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khoshekh42/pseuds/Khoshekh42
Summary: Carlos has put off his Christmas shopping- and his finding a date for his family Christmas.A blue eyed stranger may be the solution to all his problems.





	In which Carlos and Cecil are both bad at finding Christmas presents

Carlos was always terrible at remembering to do anything. Which was why he was at Target at ten at night trying desperately to find something suitable for each member of his family for Christmas. He was one of the few people left in the store, besides some of the suicidal people that were forced to sign up to work on Christmas Eve.

Besides, he still hadn’t found a date to his family’s Christmas party, despite having told his sister that he did. He’d kind of given up on the date front at this point.

Carlos was looking through a myriad of ugly Christmas sweaters, when the man that was frantically sniffing Christmas candles turned to look at him.

“You!” The man was not tall, but not short. He was wearing a tie. Had blondish hair, and striking blue eyes. And that smile, was that a smile? It was rather a cross between a smile and terror and pure relief that he’d found another person in the store.

He was beautiful.

“How does this smell, I’m trying to find something for Maureen, but she’s just so hard to buy for because she never tells anyone what she wants, and I’m kind of panicking.” His voice was strained with fear, but it was somehow soft and sultry at the same time. And it sounded somewhat familiar, but Carlos couldn’t quite place from where.

Carlos smelled the candle, still staring at the strange man in front of him in awe. “You’re- I mean- it’s beautiful.” Carlos blushed furiously at his mistake, but the man didn’t seem to notice.

“You think?” The man asked him, “I can’t tell I’m super stuffed up right now, and, oh.” He only now seemed to look at Carlos’s face. He looked awestruck.

“I love your hair, it’s just so… neat!” He flushed. So did Carlos.

“Sorry, that was creepy.”

“No, um, it’s fine. Thanks. Your eyes are nice. And your voice.”

“Thanks, I’m a radio host. For Night Vale radio- it’s a pretty small show, but-”

“That’s where I knew your voice from!” Carlos shouted, gaining the lazy attention of one of the suicidal workers.

“What?”

“You’re Cecil Palmer!” Carlos gushed. He’d never realized that his miniature crush on the Night Vale radio station was so… handsome.

“You listen to my show?” Cecil- as Carlos could now identify him as- became rather giddy. “I’ve only met a listener a couple of times, and before that I didn’t really think anyone listened, I mean I mainly talk about my own life and my cat.”

“Khoshekh! You know, I never thought myself a cat person either, but your cat is sooo cute.” Cecil grinned at Carlos, and Carlos felt himself melt just a little bit. “He is adorable.”

“I especially love your pictures of him while he’s jumping off of something that makes it look like he’s floating in the air. Of course that’s impossible, cats can’t float, I mean, nothing can really. I’m a scientist, I would know…” Carlos trailed off, rather embarrassed at his rambling. But Cecil didn’t seem to mind.

“A scientist? You know, I’m very into science these days.” Cecil lit up, “You know, you should come on the show! A real life scientist doing the children’s fun fact science corner would be so neat!”

Carlos stuttered, “I- I really couldn’t. I’m not a very… I’m not very good at those sorts of things.”

“You’d be great, I’m sure of it!”

“You barely know me. I’m really not-”

“Then I’ll get to know you. Do you have plans tonight?”

“I- uh-” Was this a date? “I don’t, but I’ll have to go to my family’s for Christmas early tomorrow, so I can’t stay up.”

“I wouldn’t dream of keeping you. What do you have to get here? No one’s at Target at ten at night Christmas Eve unless they need to get something.”

“I, heh, I’ve been busy- with science- and I forgot to get gifts for my family. You said you were here for Maureen?”

“She’s the intern that works with me. I’ve already gotten Abby’s and Janice’s gifts. And… Steve’s.”

“What?” Carlos laughed. “You got something against your… brother?”

“Brother in law, though I don’t like to admit it. Abby is my sister, Janice is their daughter.”

“So are you going to your sister’s for Christmas?” Carlos asked, though he knew he shouldn’t. Privacy was important to most people. Apparently not for Cecil though, who laughed. “I wouldn’t want to intrude. Plus I’d just get in an argument with Steve. I’m just going to be home alone for Christmas. Home with Khoshekh.”

“What, no! You should be with friends or family on Christmas,” And, Carlos didn’t know what made him say it, perhaps he was desperate, or perhaps his crush on Cecil was a little larger than he thought, but: “You should come with me to my family’s house.”

Cecil’s eyes lit up. “I haven’t spent Christmas with anyone since I was twelve. I, are you sure?”

If Carlos wasn’t sure before, he was definitely sure now. Spending Christmas alone since he was twelve? That had to be hard.

“I’m sure. In fact,” He rubbed the back of his neck, realizing he might have a solution to a problem of his, “They’re expecting me to bring a… date.”

“I’d love to be your date.” Cecil whispered, and it was the most seductive thing Carlos had ever heard.

“Okay then.” Carlos smiled.

They found Carlos’s presents together.


End file.
